1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a product shipping system and a method for shipping products.
2. Description of the Related Art
It has been a conventional practice for a supplier to receive designation information designating the order in which respective shipping products are to be mounted on pallets from a purchaser placing an order via a terminal equipment on the side of the supplier, and to mount the respective shipping products on respective delivery pallet(s) as partitioned following the designation information before shipment.
In case the respective shipping products are randomly mounted on the respective delivery pallets, however, it takes considerable time for a worker to mount the respective shipping products on the respective delivery pallet(s) as partitioned according to the designation information, so that there have arisen problems in that speedy shipment can not be effected, and there is a possibility of the worker making a mistake at times in the order of mounting the respective shipping products.
In view of those points described above, it is an object of the invention to provide a product shipping system whereby the risk of a worker making a mistake in the order of mounting respective products can be minimized, and time required for mounting the respective products on respective delivery pallet(s) in as partitioned state according to designation information can be shortened, thereby speeding up shipment.
To that end, in accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a product shipping system comprising a terminal equipment on the side of a purchaser, for transmitting designation information designating the order in which respective shipping products are to be mounted on a delivery pallet, or plural delivery pallets, a terminal equipment on the side of a supplier, connected to the terminal equipment on the side of the purchaser via a dedicated communications line, for receiving the designation information, capable of converting the designation information as received into partition information indicating partitions identifiable by the kind of the respective shipping products by execution of a conversion program, a printer capable of printing out the partition information after conversion by operating the terminal equipment on the side of the supplier, a flat car or plural flat cars for transfer of the respective delivery pallet or plural delivery pallets that display(s) the partition information as printed by the printer, capable of mounting respective products in as-partitioned state thereon, and a plurality of product pallets on the supplier""s side, provided with a display identifiable by the kind of the respective shipping products, on which the respective shipping products are mounted by the kind thereof, wherein a worker can select respective products mounted on the respective product pallets provided with the display on the basis of the partition information as displayed on the delivery pallet(s) loaded on the respective flat car(s), and can mount the respective products in as-partitioned state on the respective delivery pallet(s).
Preferably, the printer is a color printer, and the partition information printed out by the printer is colored differently by the kind of the respective shipping products while part or the whole of the product pallet with the respective shipping products mounted thereon has a display colored in the same way as for the partition information.
Preferably, the printer is a color printer, and the partition information printed out by the printer is colored differently by the kind of the respective shipping products while the product pallet with the respective shipping products mounted thereon has a display at a predetermine spot thereof, provided with a label colored in the same way as for the partition information. Further, the flat car(s) for transfer of the respective delivery pallet(s) are preferably made up of a self-driven transfer car and the flat car(s) connected with the self-driven transfer car, each loaded with the delivery pallet provided with a partitioned storage cabinet.
And in accordance with the other aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for product shipping system comprising the following steps:
transmitting designation information by a purchaser designating the order, in which respective shipping products are to be mounted on at least one delivery pallet.
receiving said designation information by a supplier,
converting the designation information as received by said supplier into partition information, indicating partitions identifiable by the kind of the respective shipping products, by means of a conversion program,
printing out the partition information after conversion,
displaying the partition information as printed at said delivery pallet(s), capable of mounting respective products in as-partitioned state thereon,
displaying an identification by the kind of the respective shipping products or a plurality of product pallets on which the respective shipping products are mounted by the kind thereof on the supplier""s side,
selecting respective products mounted on the respective product pallets provided with the display on the basis of the partition information as displayed on the at least one delivery pallet and mounting the respective product in as-partitioned state on the respective delivery pallet or plural delivery pallets.